FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! (/showthread.php?tid=72073)

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FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Serpiko - 30.10.2010

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VERSION 1.4 AVAILABLE:

http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/in ... wnload.htm

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Hello Gents. In the "General discussion" area you can see this thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29862

First of all, thanks a lot to Shardana for sharing the news (grati ti siamo, ahio'! :mrgreen: ). I was really curious about the possibility to track head movement without any special set, just using a simple webcam. The technology already existed, but now someone has made it accessible to everybody... and FREE!

I've downloaded the program and tried it out on IL-2. And, yes, it DOES work! So, should you be interested in it too, here's a little review. Download links are in the first posts of the discussion linked above.

I've never tried TrackIR nor any other tracking device, so I can't tell if there is any difference in performances.

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NOTE: initial review refers to 1.3 version, newer releases will be commented in later posts.
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TESTED ON: SONY Vaio, Intel I7 Quad core, 8 Gb RAM, Windows 7, integrated webcam. Game version: IL-2 1946 v4.09 + UP 2.01, modded 6DOF activated.

***** DOWNLOAD AND INSTALLATION ******

Not so hard. I downloaded version 1.30, which includes DLLs and other little Windows stuff required. Shouldn't that work (like in my case), you'll also have to download and install a free demo of a commercial facetracking program, which will add what you need to get it working. Then you can remove the demo without losing the needed files. (Complete installation guide is on the site).

***** GETTING STARTED *****



You have the possibility to save different configuration settings as .ini files.
The "Game protocol" slot gives a choice of which tracking program must be simulated. So far I've got it working only with "Fake TrackIR".
Once you start the engine, you will see on the bottom left corner a "virtual mask" appear on your face as soon as the program tracks it, while data about resources usage are displayed. For me, it is about 10%-20% CPU and 90 Mb RAM while scanning to find the face, and about 5%-10% CPU and 125 Mb RAM to keep tracking. At least with my default webcam: I couldn't tweak its options that much, but I find 30 fps to be acceptable.
Note that you will need good lighting conditions. If the room is too dark, or your face is not fully enlighted, or you have the sun on your back, the program won't be able to track your face.

Hotkeys selection is somewhat limited, but at least you can set the key to center visual (very helpful!)

***** IN FLIGHT *****

Even when testing missions with several planes, I didn't notice any significant drop in game performances.

If, like in my case, you've never tried TackIR or something like that, you'll need a little practice to "get the feeling" with this system.
Calibration is easy, because at any time you can minimize the game, adjust the cursors, and immediately see the results.
I feel comfortable with the settings shown in the image. 500 is the max valor, and I think this could be improved, because even with rotation sensitivity set to maximum you will have to turn your head almost 90° to obtain a 180° FOV rotation, and this makes it uncomfortable to keep looking at the screen.
On the contrary, XYZ axis movements tend to be excessive, so my advice is to keep it low.

There's also another reason to keep XYZ axis movement as low as possible, and this, IMO, is also currently the main drawback of face tracking technology: flickering.
It must be indeed harder for a computer to track movements from a human face instead than from a few definite points indicated by LEDs. The result is that, even if you keep absolutely still, your tracked position is never the same in two frames. In game, this causes a constant tremble of the visual. Luckily, the program has a filter for every axis (the "red. factor") which helps to reduce, but not eliminate, this problem. Plus, the higher the sensitivity, the more the visual trembles, expecially on XYZ movement, so go easy with that.

Nevertheless, I'm sure future versions will feature better filters, so this problem should be solved with time.

Oh, BTW: should the tracking be lost, the program will immediately start scanning, so just look straight at the camera and you should regain tracking in seconds.

Occasional bug: visual twisting and sticking to an absurd angle, even inverted. Usually, this is solved by stopping, closing and reloading the tracking program without the need to exit game. But I said USUALLY!

***** IN COMBAT *****

"Beware of what you wish... it might come true!" You want realism? You got it.
Face tracking actually puts your head INSIDE the cockpit! You will twist your neck looking for enemies, lean left and right to check your six behind that huge armour plate, crouch to check the instruments and align your eye with the sights to aim! If you like going realistic, this is just THE way to play.

The flickering problem can indeed be annoying when you try to spot enemies or to take precision shots, but after all it's not worse than flying through clouds in a thunderstorm. Once you've spotted a target (and you practiced a little), keeping your eyes on it feels surprisingly natural. Aiming becomes harder, but this way scoring a kill has an even sweeter taste. And a bandit on your six gets as scary as it should be!
Actually, I'm still practicing with a little help from dear old F6 key :roll:, because situational awareness becomes a really tough matter.

Of course, it also works in F2 and similar views. Haven't tested it with padlock, but it's just nonsense

If you switch to "gunsight view", you are aligned with the crosshair, but you lose XYZ axis movement (rotation only in this mode).

***** CONCLUSIONS *****
Rating 9/10 IMO. Totally free, requiring a simple webcam to give you all 6DOF performances. Can't wait to see future versions, hoping for an improvement in filters to eliminate flickering. At that point it will be 10+! 8)

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Fireskull - 30.10.2010

Really cool stuff!



I made this a Sticky Topic.





Fireskull

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - shardana - 30.10.2010

Well, grazie for your thanks, I'd been following this software for years and was so pleased to see it applied to our beloved game! at the moment i'm waiting to see if it is possible to get a different engine from face api in order to track the player's face, something like opencv should be much lighter on cpu demand..... let's see if somebody out there is able to improve this software!!! Adiosu!! shardana

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - KG64_Cnopicilin - 31.10.2010

Now I should really try to make it work...

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Serpiko - 07.11.2010

VERSION 1.4 NOW AVAILABLE

All axis now have sensitivity configuration curves, overall view stability greatly improved. :mrgreen:

(Still subject to occasional bugs/crashes)

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - 95aqua-ta - 28.11.2010

Hi guys, I've been experimenting with it for a little while and I've come to the end of my tether so will probably just use my third hand on the mouse..lol
Whilst practising using it, I have found it takes a good fifteen minutes just to get the view to look straight ahead and not to one side or the sky.
It is then okay for flying around just taking in the scenery, but I just tried my offline BOB campaign and after tracking a Me109 and getting on his tail I suddenly found I had to look about 45 degrees to the right just to look through the gunsight. So as you can imagine, I used up all my ammo and just got him smoking in time for my squad mate to finish him off and take my kill.
So since I can't afford a TrackIR system I'll have to either learn to look at my monitor using peripheral vision or just give up.

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Serpiko - 04.12.2010

Did you have this problem even after using the "center view" command?

Anyway, this could be due to insufficient environmental lighting. As I said before, this programs limit is that it needs REALLY good lighting conditions to work properly.

When it screws up, try minimizing IL-2, quit Facetrack and re-run it. It solves the problem most of the time.

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - 95aqua-ta - 05.12.2010

Hi serpiko,
The center view key doesn't work,I have assigned the key but it doesn't do anything.
I may have a problem with the lighting simce the computer is in the cloakroom and all I have is a small desk lamp to illuminate my face.
I won't give up and will get it to work sufficiently eventually. :|

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Andy Brandt - 06.12.2010

Downloaded it yesterday and think its fantastic!

Really easy to use , minimum hassel!
I do have a request though, if anyone has a good set of settings for il2, could they please post them .

Good Find Serpiko

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Serpiko - 06.12.2010

95aqua-ta Wrote:Hi serpiko,
The center view key doesn't work,I have assigned the key but it doesn't do anything.
I may have a problem with the lighting simce the computer is in the cloakroom and all I have is a small desk lamp to illuminate my face.
I won't give up and will get it to work sufficiently eventually. :|

Strange that it doesn't work. Maybe is one of the "shift/alt/ctrl" boxes checked?

If you have a white wall right behind your monitor (or you can put there a white panel) and you point a strong lamp at it, the reflection will lighten your face properly without dazzling you. (The lamp should have at least a 40w bulb in this case)

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Serpiko - 06.12.2010

Andy Brandt Wrote:I do have a request though, if anyone has a good set of settings for il2, could they please post them

Well, everyone has to try and find his best setting according to his own preferences...

...But, roughly, I can suggest you to:
-Set EWMA filtering to maximum for all axis;
-Config your cam to get at least 30 fps;
-Set X and Y rotation curves (that is, yaw and pitch) to be less sensitive near the center (where you need precision control to aim and track targets) and more sensitive at high valors (so that you don't have to turn your face too much to check six);
-Roll axis and translations, instead, are best set about "straight".
-If you want to keep a "neutral zone", set it low (no more than 5, IMO) or else you will have to twist your neck a lot to get the visual moving! Also, note that setting a neutral zone for XYZ translation axis will prove unpractical when flying planes which have offset sights (Bf109s, FW190s, Zeros etc.).

Hope this helps!

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Nadia - 06.12.2010

Tried and tried for a month, but can't make it to run: I click the Icon on Desktop,
and it gives me an error "can't find a .DLL in the waterfall" or something !!!
Don't even reach the point where they offer select you're setup/settings. ALWAYS.
Tried every versions, many downloads, and tried every combo in and out of files, with
and without jsgme activated 00_6DOF..., all what is possible.

May be because my IL-2 is out of program files installed... ?
But even so, setup should work...

I even tried to install PPjoy parallel/artificial joystick to try this version
compatibility... very messy stuff, drivers unsigned !!! :-?

What is missing or doing wrong ? :?:

Samsung portable with integrated cam/i7/4Gram/100Gdisk/Il2-1946 4,09m Up2.0 out of prog file. No previous track IR.

(...it is winter out here, may be the waterfall is frozen... )

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Serpiko - 06.12.2010

Have you already checked here Nadia?

http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/ma ... issues.htm

FaceAPI is a professional face tracking program. If you install its free demo, it will put in your computer dlls and other stuff, which will also make FaceTrackNoIR run. Then you can remove the demo and keep the useful stuff

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - Nadia - 06.12.2010

Serpiko Wrote:Have you already checked here Nadia?

http://facetracknoir.sourceforge.net/ma ... issues.htm

FaceAPI is a professional face tracking program. If you install its free demo, it will put in your computer dlls and other stuff, which will also make FaceTrackNoIR run. Then you can remove the demo and keep the useful stuff

THANKS. Will try that...

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Re: FaceTrackNoIR tested - 6DOF without headset! - old crow27 - 24.03.2011

how do you get the frame rates up? cause mine is stuck at a nice slow 5. cameras at least 4 years old

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